WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/CUB/15 
27 March 2006 
 
 (06-1381) 
Committee on Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
 
 
 
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  REPUBLIC OF CUBA  
If applicable, name of local government involved:        
2. Agency responsible:  Instituto de Medicina Veterinaria - Ministerio de Agricultura  
(Institute of Veterinary Medicine – Ministry of Agriculture) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Live birds and fertile and table eggs 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
Europe, Asia and Africa. 
Australia, New Zealand and the rest of Oceania, North America, South America, Central 
America and the Caribbean in the event of a dete rioration in the animal health situation with 
regard to Avian Influenza.  
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Comunicación en 
formato de Notificación de Medidas de Urge ncia, de prohibición abs oluta de importación 
de aves vivas y huevos fértiles y de mesa d esde países o zonas con reportes de evidencia 
clínica y hallazgos serológicos de Influenza Aviar  (Communication in Notification of 
Emergency Measures format with regard to the complete ban on the importation of live birds and fertile and table eggs from countries or  areas with reports of clinical evidence and 
serological findings of avian influenza.) 
6. Description of content:  This Notification of Emergency Measures seeks to disseminate the 
animal health measures being a pplied by Cuba to internationa l trade in products considered 
a risk with regard to avian influenza, and to  thereby prevent the possible introduction of this 
disease into the country. 
In order to gain COMMERCIAL APPROVAL, im ports of fresh and processed poultry meat 
and all poultry products and by-products, incl uding prepared animal feeds that have 
undergone thermal treatment and contain poultr y meat, bone, blood and feather meal, from 
countries or geographical areas where there is a ri sk of avian influenza in both domestic and 
wild birds, are subject to compliance with veterinary health import requirements.  The 
health certification process and the technical analyses and final  decision of the National Risk Analysis Group of the Institute of Veterinary Medicine. G/SPS/N/CUB/15 
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  6. Description of content:   (cont'd) The absolute ban on the introduction into national 
territory of live birds and poultry products and by -products in transit or carried by travellers 
is established in the regulatory documents issu ed by the Department of Border Veterinary 
Services of the Institute of Veterinary Medicine. 
In the specific case of pet birds, their entr y into national territory will be subject to 
compliance with the veterinary health requireme nts laid down by the Institute of Veterinary 
Medicine and issuance of the official import authorization document. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [    ] food safety,  [ X] animal health,  [    ] plant protection,
[X] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease,  [    ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests       
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reasons for urgent action:  International 
epidemiological situation with regard to avian influenza. 
9. International standard, guideline or recommendation: 
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission,  [X] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention,  [   ] None 
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:        
10. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Information 
provided in Spanish in Notification of Emerge ncy Measures format,  given the danger posed 
by avian influenza worldwide, as a result of which all OIE member countries are required to notify the health measures that they are implementing to prevent the introduction of the disease through international trade in live bi rds and poultry products  and by-products as 
well as the strengthening of their su rveillance and bio-security measures. 
11. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  1 March 2006/the period 
of application will depend on the status  and development of the international 
epidemiological situation with regard to avian influenza . 
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [X] National notification 
authority,  [X] National enquiry point, or  address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body: 
Ministerio de Comercio Exterior 
Dirección de Organismos Internacionales, Calle Infanta No 16, esquina 23, 
Ciudad de La Habana, Munici pio Plaza de la Revolución, 
República de Cuba Fax: (537) 542266 E-mail: eva.quintana@mincex.cu 
Instituto de Medicina Veterinaria 
Dirección Nacional, 
Calle 12 No. 355 entre 15 y 17, Ciudad Habana, Municipio Plaza de la Revolución, 
República de Cuba Fax: (537) 8303537 
E-mail: dnimv@infomed.sld.cu and rbescofet2002@hotmail.com   G/SPS/N/CUB/15 
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  13. Texts available from:  [X] National notification authority, [X] National enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: 
Ministerio de Comercio Exterior 
Dirección de Organismos Internacionales, Calle Infanta No 16, esquina 23, 
Ciudad de La Habana, Munici pio Plaza de la Revolución, 
República de Cuba Fax: (537) 542266 E-mail: eva.quintana@mincex.cu 
Instituto de Medicina Veterinaria 
Dirección Nacional, 
Calle 12 No. 355 entre 15 y 17, Ciudad Habana, Municipio Plaza de la Revolución, 
República de Cuba Fax: (537) 8303537 
E-mail: dnimv@infomed.sld.cu and rbescofet2002@hotmail.com